So I decided to run through Moune's Object Creation for Idiots -- I mean, Beginners...although "idiot" certainly applies to me in this case. So off I went. But I ran into a snag early on: When I change the file table as the tutorial recommends to make my new object basegame compatible, following the steps in the tutorial exactly, and then clone the object as instructed, there seems to be a problem with the clone. Once it gets to the scenegraph window, there's nothing on the list and if I go ahead beyond that anyway, then there is no GMDC category, as well as a few other categories, on the Resource Tree for my new cloned object. However, if I go back and change the file table back so that it includes all EPs/SPs again, it DOES clone the meshes and those other categories. I'm wondering why this is so.

I do have a newer version of SimPE than Moune used in the tutorial. Mine is the last one posted on the SimPE website., 0.73.44.37511. So in this version does the file table no longer need to be edited to make the new object basegame compatible? If not, what the heck did I do wrong? I do have it in advanced mode for recoloring purposes; could that affect this?

Mostly, I'm doing the tutorial because I want to understand UV mapping and the basics about meshes, knowledge that I don't have but that could be helpful in recoloring efforts if I want to, say, fix a weirdly-mapped Maxis object. Maybe if this doesn't just confuse the hell out of me, I might actually make something new. If I do, I'd probably want to make basegame compatible stuff for sharing purposes instead of stuff that requires all EPs/SPs, so I'd really like to be able to put SimPE in that "mode" and have it work. Any suggestions for this idiot?

Well, first up - what object are you cloning? If it's an EP object, then you'll need to have its EP ticked.

It could also be a problem with the cloning options you have selected - but I can't check what they should be right now.

My plan was to follow the tutorial exactly, and the object cloned in the tutorial is the Talking Table, which is base game. The tutorial instructs you to go into the file table and de-check all of the options in the Simple Settings except "Include Original" and "Include CEP." So that was what I did, then hit the reload button as instructed and then reset the file table in the PJSE tool and then closed and reopened SimPE, all as instructed. After doing that, you clone the table, leaving all of the default cloning settings except unchecking the last option on the list, which is something like "Change description." When I did the tutorial, the only items available to clone were basegame objects, so it appears that the file table was set correctly, and once I set the Talking Table to clone, I checked the list of options on my screen against the screenshot in the tutorial to make sure the options were the same. I figured this was prudent since I was using a newer version of SimPE, and they matched exactly. The next thing in the process is the scenegraph window and since it was blank other than the field at the top to change the name, I'm figuring that's where something's going wrong. I just have no idea what. All I know is that I followed the steps in the tutorial exactly and multiple times. So, it's possible I could have done something wrong one time, checked or unchecked something that I shouldn't have, but I likely wouldn't have done the same thing wrong about 18 times or so.

So after trying multiple times to make sure I was following the steps exactly and trying running SimPE as administrator and not as administrator, I tried uninstalling/reinstalling SimPE, the .NET Framework, and the Managed DirectX, rebooting each time. Same result. Then I gave up and decided to do some nice, familiar recoloring instead. So I reset the file table with all EPs/SPs checked. But then on a lark I decided to try cloning the table without resetting the file table and, lo and behold, it worked just fine and I had a mesh to play with. So, thinking that maybe something clicked in SimPE's brain, I reset the file table back to basegame plus CEP only, tried one more time, and...no go. So then I really gave up and went back to recoloring counters.

I'm not at home right now, but once I am I could try again and take screen shots of what's on my screen at each point, if that would be helpful in diagnosing this issue? Ultimately, my goal is A) To be able to change/fix UV mapping and B) To be able to add recolorable subsets to Maxis objects. For personal use, I'm OK with anything I potentially fix/modify/create not being basegame, but if it's something I'd want to share, then I'd want as many people as possible to be able to use the stuff.

Check the filepaths underneath the file table tickboxes - are the ones for basegame correct?

That's a good question. I would assume they were since SimPE finds all the object, but it won't hurt to check, which I'll do when I get home and then edit this post.

Thank you for being willing to help, BTW!

Ofc I'm willing to help, I'm fully expecting any objects you make to be awesome .

Oy. No pressure, right?

So I totally forgot to look at this last night. But....AH-HAH! When in basegame mode, four of the folders starting with {Basegame} are de-checked but aren't de-checked when not in this mode. They're the Sims3D folder and four folders from the Catalog folder (Materials, Skins, Patterns, and CANHPObjects.) I threw caution to the wind and went ahead and checked 'em, reloaded, reset the File Table in the PJSE tool, closed/reopened SimPE, cloned the Talking Table and...

I HAZ MESH! AND SHPEs! AND OTHER STUFFS WHAT WAS MISSING. YOU IS GENIUS! :D

No, seriously, thank you. I wouldn't have thought to look at that, mostly because I really have no idea what the hell I'm doing. So.....Now to see if I can actually do the tutorial and create awesomeness without destroying my game installation.

Wonderful, glad you got it sorted . I've had that happen a few times, and it's... confusing to say the least.

Well, it certainly confused me! Because I am, as mentioned, an idiot when it comes to this stuff!

I'm looking forward to at least starting to work my way through the tutorial this evening, once I can finally escape this freakin' studio! :p